Newly released footage shows a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee stabbed to death last month on a Charlotte light rail train in North Carolina.
The surveillance footage of the gruesome attack that occurred on Aug. 22 shortly before 10 p.m. local time on the Lynx Blue Line was released by the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) over the weekend.
According to an affidavit viewed by ABC News, Iryna Zarutska boarded the train and sat in an aisle seat directly in front of the suspect, Decarlos Brown Jr., 34, who can be seen in a window seat wearing an orange sweatshirt.
The train travels for “approximately four and a half minutes before the suspect pulls a knife out of his pocket, unfolds the knife, pauses, then stands up, and strikes at the victim three times,” according to the outlet.
Before the stabbing, there appeared to be “no interaction between the victim and defendant,” the affidavit said.
Zarutska was pronounced dead at the scene, and witnesses directed officials to the location of the suspect.
Brown was arrested after he was released from the hospital with “non-life-threatening injuries sustained at the time of the incident,” and was charged with first-degree murder. His next court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 19, according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.
Brown had served time in prison, been briefly committed for schizophrenia and was arrested earlier this year after repeatedly calling 911 from a hospital.
Zarutska had come to the United States to escape the war in Ukraine, relatives wrote in a GoFundMe post, describing her as determined to build a safer life.
“This is an irreparable loss for her family. We have created this fundraiser to support Valeria [Zarutska’s mother] and her loved ones during this heartbreaking time and to help them with the unexpected expenses,” it read.
The GoFundMe post has raised more than US$122,120 of its goal of $150,000 from more than 2,000 donations as of Tuesday morning.
Before her death, Zarutska was working at a local pizzeria, Zepeddie’s Pizza. The company released a statement saying that they have “suffered a tremendous loss.”
“We lost not only an incredible employee but a true friend. Our dear Iryna left this world far too soon, and our hearts are heavy with grief. Since her passing, we have kept a candle burning in her memory — a small reminder of the warmth, kindness and light she brought into our lives every single day. We are so grateful for the love, support and prayers we’ve received during this difficult time,” Zepeddie’s Pizza said in a statement. “Iryna, we miss you more than words can say. You will forever be in our hearts.”
Officials in Charlotte are facing sharp criticism over the fatal stabbing, a killing that quickly drew the attention of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Trump wrote on his social media platform on Monday that “Criminals like this need to be LOCKED UP.”
“I have seen the horrific video of a beautiful, young Ukrainian refugee, who came to America to escape the vicious War in Ukraine, and was innocently riding the Metro in Charlotte, North Carolina, where she was brutally ambushed by a mentally deranged lunatic,” Trump wrote.
“The perpetrator was a well known career criminal, who had been previously arrested and released on CASHLESS BAIL in January, a total of 14 TIMES. What the hell was he doing riding the train, and walking the streets?”
Trump said that the “blood of this innocent woman can literally be seen dripping from the killer’s knife.”
“Now her blood is on the hands of the Democrats who refuse to put bad people in jail, including Former Disgraced Governor and ‘Wannabe Senator’ Roy Cooper. North Carolina, and every State, needs LAW AND ORDER, and only Republicans will deliver it,” he added.
A screenshot of U.S. President Donald Trump’s post on Truth Social.
@realDonaldTrump / Truth Social
Trump also mentioned the stabbing during his remarks at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C., on Monday.
“When you have horrible killings, you have to take horrible actions,” he said.
Trump also sent his love to Zarutska’s family and said the video of the attack was “not really watchable because it’s so horrible.”
“They are evil people. We have to be able to handle that. If we don’t handle that, we don’t have a country,” Trump said.
Many Trump administration officials attacked Charlotte’s Democratic leaders, arguing that Brown should have been behind bars.
“This monster had a track record longer than a CVS receipt, including prison time for robbery with a dangerous weapon, breaking and entering, and larceny. By failing to properly punish him, Charlotte failed Iryna Zarutska and North Carolinians,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy posted on X on Sunday.
Charlotte’s Mayor doesn’t want the media to show you the ugly truth. Why? Because she and other public officials in her city bear responsibility.
This monster had a track record longer than a CVS receipt, including prison time for robbery with a dangerous weapon, breaking and… https://t.co/86kIwPZhdN
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) September 7, 2025
Stephen Miller, a senior White House adviser, attacked Democrats in a post for what he asserted were pro-criminal policies.
The Democrat Party at every level — judges, politicians, academics, nonprofits — is organized around the defense and protection of the criminal, the monstrous and the depraved. The more vile the threat, the more vociferously the Democrat Party works to protect and enable it. https://t.co/pxbbSWoOa8
— Stephen Miller (@StephenM) September 7, 2025
In a statement after the video’s release, Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles said: “Like so many of you, I’m heartbroken — and I’ve been thinking hard about what safety really looks like in our city. I remain committed to doing all we can to protect our residents and ensure Charlotte is a place where everyone feels safe.”
The video of the heartbreaking attack that took Iryna Zarutska’s life is now public. I want to thank our media partners and community members who have chosen not to repost or share the footage out of respect for Iryna’s family.
This was a senseless and tragic loss. My prayers…
— Mayor Vi Lyles (@CLTMayor) September 6, 2025
Violent crime in Charlotte declined 25 per cent during the first half of 2025 compared with the same period last year, according to the police department.
— With files from The Associated Press and Reuters